Vancouver Bandits and Edmonton Stingers try to get back in win column with Canada Day clash

Dillon White • July 1, 2023

The Vancouver Bandits (-133) and Edmonton Stingers (-105) will tip off a home-and-home on Saturday with the first outing set for Langley Events Centre at 7 p.m. PT. 


The game will be available for streaming on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor and on the CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.


It’s the first matchup of the season for two of the CEBL’s original franchises, with the second half of the home-and-home slated for Monday in Edmonton and the third and final meeting of the regular season set for July 21 in B.C. 


Both teams enter Saturday’s Canada Day contest coming off of back-to-back losses. The Bandits fell to the Calgary Surge at home 93-88 last weekend and on the road to the Winnipeg Sea Bears 93-84. Vancouver has had a full week to make adjustments after their loss to Calgary, while the Stingers are less well-rested. 


Edmonton lost a 91-89 nailbiter to the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Thursday after dropping a game in Montreal 93-88 last week. The Stingers have played in close games throughout the season thus far, with all of their losses decided by six points or less. 


The Stingers sit third in the Western Conference standings at 5-6, a half-game ahead of the fourth-place Bandits at 4-6 and a full game in front of fifth-place Saskatchewan. Winnipeg’s league-best 8-3 record has them atop the west, while Calgary is two games back at 7-6.


The two-time champion Stingers will look to improve their chances of a trip back to Langley in August for CEBL Championship Weekend. Due to hosting the event, Vancouver has a spot in the Western Conference final secured. 


The Bandits will rely on their elite frontcourt duo of Nick Ward and Giorgi Bezhanishvili to reach championship form in the second half of the season. The Vancouver bigs have given opponents fits all season on a roster that has endured a lot of change from game one. 


Bezhanishvili leads the CEBL in rebounds per game at 11.2 and is one of three players to average a double-double. “Giorgi B” also ranks in the league’s top 10 in points per game with 18.4 on 46 per cent shooting from the field. Ward has been a paint beast for the Bandits as well. He’s top five in the league in both offensive rebounds and field goal percentage, while averaging 18.3 points per game. 


However, Vancouver will search for consistency from its supporting cast on Saturday. MJ Walker is the only other Bandit to average double-digit points with 13.3 per game. Shaquille Keith, Duane Notice, Diego Maffia, Malcolm Duvivier and Jahenns Manigat will all look to contribute as the season continues. 


“Some guys… haven't been coming ready to play and haven't been playing to anywhere near their potential,” Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said after the Calgary loss. “We’ve got to sort that out and deal with that.”


Journeyman guard Doug Herring also signed with the Bandits this week, bringing 13 years of professional basketball experience in nine countries to the squad. 


Meanwhile, Edmonton has depended on an array of talent to lead them on both ends of the floor. The Stingers are top-five in the CEBL in points per game, field goal percentage, three-point percentage and assists without a single player averaging over 15 points. Brody Clarke is closest at 14.7 points per game on 47 per cent shooting. 


However, Nick Hornsby has been one of the Stingers’ most impactful players in all areas of the game. The 6’7 power forward is averaging 13 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 11 starts for Edmonton. Aher Uguak, Isiah Osborne and Adika Peter-McNeilly are all averaging double-figures too, with Geoffrey James, Martynas Varnas and Elijah Miller not far behind. 


In the tight loss to Scarborough on Thursday, Clarke paced the offence with 21 points and the Stingers jumped out to an early lead but were unable to hang on. 


“It was a back and forth game, you get out to an early lead, you can’t expect to run away with it,” Edmonton head coach Jordan Baker said. “They’re professionals over there… For us, it’s how do you string together 40 minutes of consistent basketball.”


The Stingers will look to lock in for 40 minutes on Canada Day against the Bandits. 


All games are available for streaming on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor and on the CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.


A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 71 per cent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

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By Bandits Staff • October 2, 2026
This weekend, youth across Haida Gwaii will have the opportunity to learn and sharpen their basketball skills from British Columbia’s professional basketball team. Through the generous support of the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) and Langara Island Lodge, the Vancouver Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation will be hosting free-of-charge youth basketball camps across Haida Gwaii, marking the organization’s first community visit to the North Coast region. “Haida Gwaii means a great deal to us, and we know how much basketball means to these communities. The game gives young people a place to grow, brings families together, and creates opportunities for teams to proudly represent where they come from,” said Yos Gladstone, Sales Coordinator, Langara Island Lodge. “The young players, coaches, families, and teams here deserve every opportunity we can help bring their way. We are grateful to the Vancouver Bandits, I∙SPARC and the Bandits Community Foundation for their commitment to make this program happen, and especially to those in Haida Gwaii who give so much of their time, energy, and efforts to basketball year-round.” “For us, supporting this program is personal. We care about the communities and the people who make them so special. If this visit from the Vancouver Bandits gives local players more time on the court, encouragement to keep going, and a chance to connect through the game, that is something we are proud to be part of.” The camps are hosted in collaboration with I∙SPARC, Bandits Community Foundation, Haida Gwaii Recreation and School District 50 Haida Gwaii. Across three days, over 200 youth athletes aged 10 to 17 and their families will gather in gymnasiums across Haida Gwaii for camps and workshops led by Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation staff members. Youth participants will also receive complimentary Vancouver Bandits merchandise. "Haida Gwaii holds a legendary place in this province and Indigenous basketball culture and being on the ground in Masset and Skidegate truly showcases how powerful this sport is," said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. "The competitive drive and skill level of these youth are incredible, but what is even more inspiring is how basketball acts as a heartbeat for the entire region. Seeing the immediate connection between the youth, the coaching staff, and the local fans highlights exactly why we wanted to bring the Bandits to Haida Gwaii.” “We want to extend our deepest thanks to the Haida Nation and our partners at I∙SPARC and Langara Island Lodge for hosting us and sharing their incredible hospitality. This visit marks an exciting milestone for our organization, and we look forward to building on this relationship for years to come." The camp schedule for this weekend is as follows: Friday, October 2 Kwiiyaans Community Hall, Old Massett 12:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née School, Masset 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, October 3 George Brown Recreation Centre, Skidegate 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, October 4 George Brown Recreation Centre, Skidegate 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The forthcoming camps are part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits, and build upon recent previous community visits to Williams Lake and Bella Coola earlier this year. Established in 2023, ongoing and past projects through the Collective include camps and clinics for Indigenous youth and coaches, building new basketball courts in Indigenous communities, and hosting the 2026 Junior All Native Basketball Tournament.

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By Bandits Staff • September 30, 2026
The Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team, and the Bandits Community Foundation partnered with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) and Nuxalk First Nation to host a series of youth basketball clinics throughout the Bella Coola Valley earlier this month, marking the club’s first visit to the region. Led by Bandits Team President Dylan Kular and Community Manager Pavan Kalair, nearly 200 local youth athletes participated in free-of-charge workshops and basketball camps, furthering the Bandits Community Foundation’s goal of bringing more basketball to more people across the province. Beginning with a welcome ceremony from Nuxalk Nation community leaders and drummers, Bandits staff led PHE classes at Acwsalcta School, hosted skill development clinics at Sir Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School (SAMSS), and assisted community coaches with tryouts for Nuxalk Nation’s U13 and U17 teams participating at the 2027 Junior All Native Basketball Tournament, taking place in March. "Bella Coola has one of the richest basketball traditions anywhere in this province, and you feel it the moment you walk into their gyms. The passion that Nuxalk Nation has for this game runs deep, and it gets passed down from generation to generation," said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. "What stood out to us all week was how basketball brings this community together. Elders, parents, coaches and kids were all in the same room, and that is what the game is supposed to look like. We are grateful to Nuxalk Nation for welcoming us, and to I∙SPARC for helping us get here. This is the first time we have made the trip to the Valley, but it certainly will not be the last." “It was a pleasure to host the Bandits in Bella Coola; we are super grateful for the Bandits and I∙SPARC for their partnership and making the trip to experience the passion and love that Nuxalk Nation has for basketball,” said Nuxalk Nation youth coordinator Cole Sankey. “As a coach, it was a great opportunity to bring high-level basketball minds to our community and show our youth a little bit of what professional players go through. Dylan and Pavan brought great energy to our workshops at Acwsalcta, SAMSS and Nuxalk Hall, and they emphasized in each session that the best players master the basic details every day. Stutwiniititsxw Vancouver Bandits and I∙SPARC!” The camps were part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits. Established in 2023, ongoing and past projects through the Collective include camps and clinics for Indigenous youth and coaches, building new basketball courts in Indigenous communities, and hosting the 2026 Junior All Native Basketball Tournament.

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By Bandits Staff • September 26, 2026
Former Vancouver Bandits guard Jarkel Joiner has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Utah Jazz. The news was announced by the Jazz via press release on Friday . During his time with the Bandits in the 2026 season, House made 10 appearances, including 9 starts, averaging 24.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game and earned CEBL Western Conference Player of the Month honours for May 2026. On June 18, 2026 at Winnipeg, he set the Bandits' single-game franchise scoring record with 42 points. Introduced in the NBA’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year deals. They can include a potential bonus if the player spends time with the team’s G League affiliate.

Vancouver Bandits, FortisBC, I SPARC Host Youth Basketball Camp in Williams Lake

By Bandits Staff • September 10, 2026
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